Catawba College students who want to major in political science, teacher education and environmental science or studies will be eligible for new scholarships thanks to a $1 million gift recently received by the college, a college news release said.
The gift, made by a donor who wishes to remain anonymous, will benefit students who will enter Catawba beginning this fall and will aid in Catawba’s recruiting efforts for this upcoming and subsequent academic years, according to Catawba President Brien Lewis.
“Scholarships like those made possible through this gift allow us to provide Catawba experiences to the best and most promising students,” College Provost Dr. J. Michael Bitzer said. “These scholarships will also allow the college to increase its ability to serve a greater number of students and provide them access to an education rich in personal attention that blends the knowledge and competencies of liberal studies with career preparation.”
Catawba’s Vice President of Enrollment Lois Williams welcomed the new scholarships as a way to aid worthy students concerned about their ability to pay for a college education. She cited a Princeton Review survey released March 18 in which 89 percent of the respondents reported that financial aid would be “very necessary” to pay college expenses and 65 percent of those respondents said it would be “extremely necessary.”
Williams noted that 100 percent of the respondents to the survey said a college degree would be “worth it.”
“Scholarships help level the playing field for students with ability who don’t have the financial resources to pay for their education. Scholarships also help offset the loans that students often must incur to pursue their baccalaureate degrees,” Williams said.
Almost all students attending Catawba receive some sort of financial assistance.